Spring bending tool



June 18, 1963 L. R. DUGGER SPRING BENDING TOOL Filed Aug. 8. 1961 M! v kR. Wm W 0m n m m L Y United States Patent 3,094,151 SPRmG BENDING TOOLLonnie R. Dagger, 2112 Lantana Way, Bakersfield, Calif. Filed Aug. 8,1961, Ser. No. 130,184 1 Claim. (Cl. 140106) This invention relates tonew and useful improvements in spring bending tools and has for itsprimary object to provide novel means whereby flat, serpentine springsof the no sag type in widespread use in automobile seats and furniture,may be expeditiously bent to any desired angularity or straightened witha minimum of effort.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide, in amanner as hereinafter set forth, a hand tool of the character describedwhich is adapted to bend or straighten springs of the type referred towithout breaking, marring or otherwise damaging said springs.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide ahand tool or implement of the aforementioned character which is adaptedto bend or straighten a serpentine spring by axially twisting theselected straight portion thereof between the adjacent bights or loops.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a spring bending andstraightening tool of the character set forth which will becomparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, compact, of lightweight and which may be manufactured at low cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing bad to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an improved spring bending andstranghtening tool constructed in accordance with the present invention,and

FIGURE 2 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through a pair ofthe tools, showing said tools in use.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that theembodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises anelongated handle 3 of suitable material, preferably plastic. Of course,the handle 3 may also be of any desired dimensions. Fixed longitudinallyin the forward end portion of the handle 3 and projecting forwardlytherefrom is a rod or shank 4 of suitable metal. Formed integrally withthe forward end portion of the shank 4 and extending substantially atright angles thereto is a head 5.

The head 5 has formed in the free end portion thereof a substantiallyflat, elongated socket 6. As illustrated to advantage in FIGURE 2v ofthe drawing, the socket 6 is of a shape and dimensions to snugly receivea loop or bight portion 7 of a flat, serpentine spring 8.

It is thought that the use of the tool will be readily apparent from aconsideration of the foregoing. Briefly, to bend the spring 8 a pair ofthe tools are utilized, as also shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawing. Thebends,

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loops or bight portions 7 at the ends of the straight portion of thespring 8 to be bent, as indicated at 9*, are engaged in the socket 6 ofthe two tools. The spring 8 is then held stationary with one of thetools and the other of said tools is rotated or turned for bending thespring in the desired direction by axially twisting the straight portion9 thereof in an obvious manner. Or, the two tools may, if desired, beturned or rotated in opposite directions. In either case the tools arepositively connected to the spring and the portion 9 thereof between theloops 7 which are engaged in the sockets 6 is axially twisted. Theconstruction of the tools also is such that the straight portion 9 ofthe spring may readily be angulated should it be desired to bend saidspring in this manner.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

Means for bending a serpentine spring in any direction comprising, incombination, a pair of duplicate hand tools including elongated handlesof generally circular transverse section, shanks anchored centrally inone end portion of the handles and projecting longitudinally therefrom,and substantially flat, elongated heads integral with the outer endportions of the shanks and projecting thereform at right angles thereto,said heads including flat free ends having extending thereinto laterallyelongated, narrow sockets including coextensive side and end walls andfurther including arcuate inner walls for seatingly receiving adjacentbight portions of a spring to be bent and including opposed, parallelstraight wall portions tangential to said arcuate inner walls, saidsockets thereby being of a depth, width and length to receive and snuglyembrace said adjacent bight portions and the immediately adjacentstraight portions of the spring for preventing circumferential movementand rotation of the heads on said adjacent bight portions of said springand retaining the handles in spaced parallelism with said spring wherebythe straight portion of said spring connecting said adjacent bightportions may be axially twisted and angularly bent in any direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D.140,558 Bartlett Mar. 13, 1945 887,643 Jackson May 12, 1908 1,311,889Hartdorn Aug. 5, 1919 1,420,701 Hoffman June 27, 1922 2,940,480 Fante eta1. June 14, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 408,582 France Ian. 27, 1910

